Extend Your Summer Look with TanTowel

Some people look better tan! Even though tanning in the sun - or in tanning beds - is one of the worst things you can do to your skin, women (and men) do it anyhow. It's a whole lot safer to use a self-tanning product to get your glow. I would hope everyone would go that route year-round, but for you diehards who are planning a trip south to extend your tan this fall or winter, why not consider TanTowel instead?

TanTowel has a cute marketing line, "Look Good Naked." When I asked my friends at work to test the TanTowels the company had provided, I didn't mention that. It sounded a little naughty for work. I had planned to test the Classic (for fair to medium skin tones - those who don't tan easily) towlette myself, but then I realized that I have a lot of newly purchased makeup that I need to test on "virgin skin." So I found perfect candidates for the tests. Libbie, with pale skin like mine, was my stand-in. The towlettes are also available in Plus for medium to darker skin tones and those who tan quickly.

What I really like about TanTowel are the individually wrapped towelettes! Available in two sizes, they provide a no-mess, no-fuss option for full- or half-body application. Open the package, unfold the towelette, and voila! You are ready to start. Here's what you can expect.

This self-tanner is easy to apply, and it dries in seconds. It contains no stains or dyes, so you don't have to worry about your clothing. It leaves no streaks behind, just an even, natural color. The color will start to develop in 2-4 hours, and your sunless tan will continue to develop for up to 24 hours. What's pretty cool is that the pulp fiber towelettes exfoliate the skin during the application, which allows for smoother softer, and healthier skin.

Libbie and I both thought the towel produced a totally believable and subtle tan on her skin. She described her results this way: "Even application, with no streaking, mess, or fuss. I do not have any streaking. It was not messy at all...no drips or ridiculousness. It was extremely easy to apply - light wiping a tissue over my face, and I was done." This was after she had used the half-body towelette. She loved the natural glow. I thought she looked great - like she had used a tinted moisturizer that was perfect for her skin tone.

TanTowel says the product has a light citrus scent that dissipates within five minutes and will not compete with the fragrance you have selected. My tester Libbie detected a faint odor for a few hours after using the towlettes. She invited me to get my nose right up to her face to see if I could smell that distinctive dihydroxyacetone (DHA) scent. I couldn't smell it at all (I was close enough that I could smell her shampoo. though). She felt that she caught a whiff of DHA now and then. The scent of DHA is the reason I stopped using self-tanners. It's one you don't forget. I sometimes wonder if it's possible to totally mask it, as several companies claim to have done. Anyhow, Libbie reported that it was just an occasional faint reminder that she had "tanned."

I have another tester from work who is trying the Plus shade, and I will let you know how she does later. She didn't report in time for this post.

My impression of TanTowel is that Libbie looked fab-u-lous. She usually comes to work without makeup; new mothers don't have a lot of time! In a few quick swipes, she got some color, which was subtle and without even a smidgen of orange - it was a light brown tone. I would give the TanTowel an A for this. Libbie gave it an A for ease of use. That leaves TanTowel a winner in our book!

TanTowel makes a variety of products, including a tanning mist if the towelettes aren't your thing. You can see them, along with prices, at this TanTowel link. Their products are available at Nordstrom and Art with Flowers near me. You can find a retailer near you at this link. You can follow them on Twitter @TanTowel to learn about the latest specials.

I don't know what TanTowel products HauteLook will be offering this week (Thursday), but you should check out the special one-day pricing. I'm sure these babies are going to go fast. Those in the know usually have their computers set for sale start times at HauteLook.

One last word from me on the dangers of tanning in the sun - don't do it! I used to try, just like all the young ladies of my generation. As a youngster, I was always at the pool - without sunscreen. We didn't know better then. My fellow college students and I would cover ourselves in baby oil and lie in the sun for hours. My friends got tan. I did too eventually, but after a round of burning (or blistering). I am paying for that reckless behavior today. My skin develops actinic keratoses, sun spots that are pre-cancerous and must be removed by my dermatologist using liquid nitrogen. I've gotten really good at spotting and diagnosing them (gives my doctor a chuckle). Both parents have had skin cancer (Mom's had to be cured by lengthy radiation treatments), and my deceased uncle had melanoma (he was an architect and outdoors a lot). There are plenty of little "me's" out there today - young women who think that the sun is making them look gorgeous. It is. It's also setting them up for appearance issues in their future, and possibly cancer. Wouldn't it be smarter to use a self-tanner?

Photos courtesy of TanTowel